“The French players who were here last season and the players who arrived in January are very proud to be here and to play for Newcastle United so it will be very special to see our fans celebrating our culture and sharing it with us.

“The support from our fans and our teammates is a big reason why players have wanted to come here to Newcastle. We hope to repay that support on the pitch by giving the best performances we can.”

Pardew added: “It's not just on the pitch that our French players have had an impact since they've arrived.

“The city has really taken to them as well and the players have spoken about how much they've appreciated the welcome they've been given and seeing things like French flags in the crowd.”

Saints will be hoping to dampen the spirits by picking up three points against their former boss that will take them another large step along the way to safety.